As an Engineer Officer, you will be responsible for leading your team and making technical decision when it matters most. You will receive world-class training, providing you with the skills to lead and manage large teams of highly skilled technicians.

As an Aerosystems specialist, you will be responsible for ensuring our aircraft are ready to fly at all times. You will also maintain weaponry, avionics and propulsion systems, airborne communications and ground support equipment.

WHY JOIN THE RAF?

Thanks to subsidised food, travel, accommodation and free gym you get more money in your pocket.

After Engineer Officer Foundation Training (Aerosystems), you will have the skills and knowledge to lead and manage large teams of highly skilled technicians within a military airworthiness environment. There is a diverse range of employment opportunities for you following training, however, typically you will be responsible for leading an engineering department responsible for providing mission-critical equipment in support of the frontline aircraft. In this role you will be responsible for the optimum performance of the department, which will include making technical decisions, prioritising tasks and ensuring all engineering practices are maintained to the highest standard at all times. Following this tour, you will likely move to a ‘frontline’ role where you will be directly responsible for maintaining the airworthiness of an aircraft type, such as the Junior Engineer on a Typhoon, C17 or Chinook support helicopter squadron.

YOUR CAREER PROSPECTS

Within your first or second tours, you will be promoted to Flight Lieutenant and given extra responsibility. As your career progresses you will have the opportunity to work in a variety of different roles and environments; building on your experience as you progress. For example, following a ‘frontline’ tour where you were directly responsible for the airworthiness of an aircraft platform you may progress into a Project Team responsible for supporting that platform and introducing modifications and enhancements. Following further promotions, you could be responsible for leading that Project Team or being the lead engineer for a platform or station. Throughout your career as an engineer officer and professional engineer, you will hold a great deal of responsibility and your opinion and knowledge will be highly regarded. With the introduction of fourth and fifth generation aircraft our engineers need to remain current with new and evolving technology and therefore there are opportunities to specialise and/or develop your knowledge through further study as you progress through your career.

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

Much of our in-house training is accredited and/or recognised by external awarding bodies. For engineers, we encourage and have developed a streamlined route with various Professional Engineering Institutes for those looking to obtain their Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

There are numerous opportunities for both professional and personal development throughout your career; this may be an MSc/MBA from the Defence Academy at Shrivenham, using your Standard or Enhanced Learning Credits for courses which are of benefit to the RAF, or – if your specific role requires – a year’s Master’s degree at a UK university in a specialist topic. Furthermore, as you are promoted you will receive further leadership and management training to match your responsibilities.

NATIONALITY & RESIDENCY

You must be a citizen of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, holder of dual UK/other nationality or have been a Commonwealth citizen since birth.

Whether or not you were born in the United Kingdom, you should have resided there for the 5 years immediately preceding your application. However, candidates with a minimum of 3 years will be considered.

Following the Home Office announcement that the UK Armed Forces will now be able to recruit commonwealth citizens without the 5 year residency requirement, please note that the RAF continues to apply standard residency requirements for security clearance, ie, DV employment requires 7-years UK residency immediately prior to enlistment; SC requires 3-years.

FITNESS REQUIREMENTS

You must be physically fit to complete both initial and specialist training, and to do your role effectively. To check your fitness levels, we put every candidate through two or three separate fitness tests as part of the application process: Selection Fitness Test, Pre-joining Fitness Test or Pre-recruit Training Course. How fit you need to be to pass these tests can vary depending on role, age and gender.

Eyesight requirements vary for different roles. A requirement to wear glasses or contact lenses may be allowed for aircrew.

Get in touch if you have any questions about the health criteria, or would like to find out if any additional health requirements apply to your role of interest.

DURING YOUR APPLICATION:

The Medical Risk Assessment that all candidates undergo is there to make sure that you are healthy enough for the intense training required by the RAF. Your application will be rejected if you fail to meet the minimum acceptable medical standard for entry. Your medical history is confidential and is not disclosed to those not authorised to hold this information.

BACKGROUND CHECKS

YOU MUST:

Declare any previous spent and unspent convictions

Check if you qualify under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 through this summary

Have a basic background check to get Security Check level clearance

DISQUALIFYING FACTORS

YOU CAN'T APPLY FOR THE RAF IF YOU:

Have been or are a member of a group that stirs up racial hatred and violence

Are waiting to appear in court, or have unspent convictions. You may also have to declare spent convictions for certain roles

Misuse drugs, solvents and anabolic steroids. But each case is considered upon its own merits

Have tattoos, brands or bead implants that are obscene or offensive. All tattoos must not be visible above the neck collar or below the sleeve cuff while wearing uniform

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Degrees must be accredited by one or more of the 4 professional engineering institutions most closely aligned to the RAF’s needs:

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET); The British Computer Society (BCS); The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS); The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)

Degree accreditation status can be determined via the Engineering Council (UK) website www.engc.org.uk

NATIONALITY & RESIDENCY

You must be a citizen of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, holder of dual UK/other nationality or have been a Commonwealth citizen since birth.

Whether or not you were born in the United Kingdom, you should have resided there for the 5 years immediately preceding your application. However, candidates with a minimum of 3 years may be considered.

FITNESS REQUIREMENTS

You must be physically fit to complete both initial and specialist training, and to do your role effectively. To check your fitness levels, we put every candidate through a Pre-joining Fitness Test. How fit you need to be to pass this test can vary depending on role, age and gender.

MALES

Age Limits

2.4 Km Run (Minutes)

Multi-Stage Fitness Test (Level)

Press-ups (Number)

Sit-ups (Number)

15-16

11.39

9.03

20

35

17-29

11.11

9.10

20

35

30-34

11.36

9.04

19

32

35-39

12.00

8.09

18

29

40-44

12.26

8.03

17

26

45-49

12.54

7.07

16

23

50-54

13.27

7.01

15

20

FEMALES

Age Limits

2.4 Km Run(Minutes)

Multi-Stage Fitness Test (Level)

Press-ups (Number)

Sit-ups (Number)

15-16

13.54

6.07

10

32

17-29

13.23

7.02

10

32

30-34

13.47

6.08

9

29

35-39

14.13

6.04

8

26

40-44

14.48

5.08

7

23

45-49

15.19

5.04

6

20

50-54

15.53

4.09

5

17

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

BEFORE YOUR APPLICATION:

There are health requirements that must be met by all applicants:

Body Mass Index requirements:

Calculate your BMI now, click here.

Eyesight requirements vary for different roles. A requirement to wear glasses or contact lenses may be allowed for aircrew.

Get in touch if you have any questions about the health criteria, or would like to find out if any additional health requirements apply to your role of interest.